She could barely walk down the sidewalk and I couldn’t stop watching.

We live in the age of awkward. In fact, my son just said to me, “When you do XXX, it’s weird and awkward.” (Thankfully, my daughter told them that her friends think I’m a cool mom!). Let’s be honest – it’s hip to be square, cool to be uncool, and sexy to be nerdy (and quirky). Recently, I heard someone say that they were a “little OCD” about something, and while I heard it, I didn’t think much about it until yesterday when I saw her walking down the sidewalk.

I was leaving the health club when she caught my eye. She was walking very slowly (and sideways) down the sidewalk. I quickly realized that she was avoiding every crack – I mean every crack. As she got toward the corner, her steps got very small and she walked on her tip toes, as there were many cracks.

I was mesmerized at the perfection of her steps. Eventually a car came and I had to keep going. But as I drove away, I realized how incredibly strong our thoughts are. And how strong her thoughts must be. For some, they’re so strong they’re overwhelming and manifest in ways that are more than quirky.

This situation fits one of my favorite quotes:

You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the mind. That’s the only thing you should be trying to control.Elizabeth Gilbert

I’ve been struggling with the fear of a decision and recently a friend suggested that a direction I was going was because I was afraid, not because it was the right direction. So, I decided to change my thoughts about the decision.

Thought power is the key to creating our reality. I believe that everything we perceive in the physical world has its origin in the inner world of our thoughts and beliefs. So, in order for us to move in a particular direction, we need to control our negative thoughts. In this way, we’ll attract what we want and need in our lives.

Think about it: every aspect of our lives, from the state of our finances to the state of our health and our relationships, reveals our thoughts and beliefs.

We have it backwards when we think that the s*** that happens to us has an effect on how we’re feeling. It’s the reverse – what we’re thinking creates what happens. In other words, the creation of our reality really is an inside job.

I won’t ever joke about being OCD. I’m sure it’s a horrible feeling and it made me feel sad watching her.

But I suggest we take the strength of our thoughts and do something with it. Maybe I’ll put mine toward my kids remembering not to leave wet towels on their floor!! 🙂